Lake Lieberman Constructed Wetland

Welcome to Lake Lieberman!

Join us in observing the seasonal impacts on plants, salinity, and hydrology at this site! 

Due to the colder winters in the Northeast, factors like road salts have played a major role in increasing salinity levels in freshwater over time, and may be affecting our very own constructed wetlands on campus. This can be harmful to plants and wildlife that aren’t adapted to high salinity environments. 

We hope that, with your help, we will be able to improve our understanding of the relationship between seasonal changes and plant growth, and contribute to future research about the impacts of freshwater salinization!

Why should we care?

1). Wetland habitats are essential for a diverse array of plant and animal species, including endangered animals such as the tiger salamander, wood frog, and spadefoot toad.

2). Wetlands prevent sediments from erosion and harmful chemicals from runoff from reaching the Susquehanna river and Chesapeake Bay watershed.

3). We should preserve these areas for their natural beauty and recreational value.

Site Description

Lake Leiberman was reconfigured in 2011 to collect storm runoff from the newly expanded Newing and Dickinson communities. Impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads, and sidewalks prevent surface runoff from infiltrating the soil, so the wetland facilitates this process and allows ground water stores to be recharged. As a result, Lake Lieberman prevents high levels of surface runoff from directly reaching the nearby Fuller Hollow Creek, and helps to reduce flooding. By monitoring Lake Lieberman, we can better understand the seasonal relationships between plant growth, freezing patterns, water level fluctuations, and pollution from impervious surfaces.

If you have any questions, send us an email at bgccw4@gmail.com !